Kenzie hughes



(No Model.) 7

E. W. M. HUGHES. SMOKE BOX FRONT DOOR.

No. 408,026. Patented July 30, 1889.

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EDIVARD \VILLIAM MACKENZIE HUGHES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THEFOX SOLID PRESSED STEEL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SMOKE-BOX FRONT DOOR..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 408,026, dated July 30,1889.

Application filed January 21, 1889. Serial No. 297,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern. I

Be it known that I, EDWARD XVILLIAM MAC- KENZIE HUGHES, of Chicago, Cookcounty, Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSmoke-Box Front Door and Number-Plate, of which the following is a full,true, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in smoke-box front doors andnumber-plates for locomotives, and is designed to form such front doorand number-plate of pressed steel, and having a peculiar corrugation,allowing for expansion and contraction.

My invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 represents an elevation of the front end of the boilerhaving the front door and nu mber-plate attached thereto, and Fig. 2 ahorizontal section through the same.

In my drawings, A represents the exterior circular portion of pressedsteel, 13 the central cover, and C the number-plate. The exterior partof the cover is corrugated, as shown at D, thereby allowing for theexpansion and contraction of the metal without liability to fracture.The central cover B is hinged to the main front and has the generalshape shown, andthe number-plate C again is fixed to the part B with adistance-piece. These parts are made of sheets of steel pressed to shapebetween dies by any suitable apparatus-as, for instance, the apparatusshown in the application of Samson Fox, Serial No. 261,166, filedJanuary 18, 1888. By making these front end doors and number-plates ofpressed steel, instead of east-iron, it is apparent that such door willbe far more durable than castiron, owing to the corrugation stamped inand around it. Such door is capable of expanding and contracting withoutcracking, which cast-iron is liable to do, and there will be a greatadvantage in reduction in Weight 011 the front end of the smoke-box,which is now excessive, owing to the elongated smoke-box carried overthe leading truck.

It is likewise exceedingly important to have these front boxesabsolutely tight, so as to prevent the passage of air "and consequent 5ocombustion of the particles of coal retained therein, and it ispractically impossible to keep cast-iron fronts tight. Moreover, acastiron front is much more expensive in its attachments, as it requiresalarge wrought-iron 5 5 ring tooled on two faces and has to be studded.The steel plate is only riveted to the original sides of the smoke-box.Cast-iron plates split from the variation of temperature in theCast-iron, 6o

The cast-iron door has to be bolted to the front to obtain this result.The steel door being pliant makes a perfect air-tight joint when thesame is drawn up. Every effort is now being made to reduce the weight ofthe front end of the locomotive. A cast-iron front and attachmerfiifeighs eleven hundred and fifty-eight pounds. The steel front weighs twohundred and fifty-three poundsa saving of nine hundred and five poundsof useless dead load.

Owing to the great lightness obtainable by the use of steel fronts anddoors,the danger of hot boxes and broken axles in engin e-trncks andleading-wheels will be diminished to a mini 111 um hat I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of a flexible corrugated front plate for locomotives,made of pressed steel pressed between dies, of a flexible door itselfmade of pressed steel pressed between dies and having an elastic actionin connection with said front plate, thereby enabling a tight joint tobe made between the door and the front plate, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD WILLIAM MACKENZIE HUGHES.

lVitnesses:

W. S. HARTWELL, J. O. STIRLING.

